ATP 500 Vienna – Frances Tiafoe overthrows Jannik Sinner in the half (3-6, 7-5, 6-2) and will play Alexander Zverev in the final

He did a real magic trick. Largely led and clearly dominated by Jannik Sinner for almost two sets, Frances Tiafoe managed to totally reverse the dynamics of the game to end the series of 11 victories on hard indoor (23 sets won in a row) of the Italian on Saturday . The American, 49th in the world and from qualifying in this tournament in Vienna, won thanks to his talent and his gentle madness in three sets (3-6, 7-5, 6-2) and 2h18 of play in semi final. He will face Alexander Zverev, earlier winner of Carlos Alcaraz, in an attempt to claim the second title of his career on Sunday.

Tennis is a sport that can drive you crazy. The joy of Frances Tiafoe on Saturday was as great as the disillusionment of Jannik Sinner. Leaving the court, the Italian no doubt wondered how a match he mastered so easily could have escaped him. Absolutely solid in the service, and a remarkable fluidity in his sequences forward, he had managed his business remarkably, until he served for the match at 5-3 in the second set.

Sinner seized up and Tiafoe … caught fire

The tension then seized his arm, while the whimsical American, him, did not miss anything more. Result: a break from Tiafoe who had not yet obtained any opportunity to relaunch so far. Worse for Sinner, the game could have turned out much shorter if the Italian had managed to convert his double break opportunities to 3-0 then 4-1 in this famous second set. On the brink, his opponent held on and he was rewarded in unimaginable proportions a few minutes earlier.

Tiafoe has aligned five games from 2-5 to 7-5, involving in his revolt a conquered audience. Back-volley, dazzling passings, cushioned half-volleys, everything went there with disconcerting ease. Already knocking down against Stefanos Tsitsipas earlier this week, the American remained on his cloud in the final act, breaking early (3-6, 7-5, 3-1) and continuing to impose his explosive tennis on an opponent totally destabilized. We will remember in particular this tweener half-volley followed by a duel at the net which ended up disgusting Sinner just before the fateful double break.

In the race for the Turin Masters, Sinner thus sees his exceptional dynamics stop in hard indoor, even if he temporarily occupies the 8th qualifying place before Bercy. Tiafoe can continue to dream to end this week in style with a 7th consecutive victory in Vienna, synonymous with the title on Sunday. He won’t be a favorite, which has been quite successful for him so far.